The reduction in the advance reservation period for train seats, down from 120 days to 60 days, comes into effect today, November 1, 2024. As outlined in a circular dated October 16, 2024, this change applies to all bookings made from today onward, with the 60-day window excluding the date of the journey.
The advance reservation periods for certain daytime express trains, such as the Taj Express and Gomti Express, will remain unchanged, as these trains already operate with shorter booking windows. The 365-day limit for foreign tourists will also remain unchanged.
This new adjustment represents a shift from the previous policy established on March 25, 2015, when the Ministry of Railways extended the advance reservation period from 60 days to 120 days.
Indian Railways’ new advance reservation period: Benefits
Here are some of the benefits of reducing reservation time from 120 to 60 days
- Reduces cancellations and empty seats
- Lowers no-show rates
- Prevents ticket fraud and impersonation
- Discourages ticket hoarding by non-travellers
- No effect on general class ticket purchases
- Improves demand forecasting and train planning